


In the Shadows

by Dream_Wreaver



Series: The Hidden Volumes [5]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Another Gothic Story, Don't Judge Me, F/M, Gothic Au, I really like these okay?, Vampire AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-08-20 01:59:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16546637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dream_Wreaver/pseuds/Dream_Wreaver
Summary: An incident at Grayling Manor has left it abandoned for the last fifty years. But is it really abandoned? And if not, what creature lurks in the shadows? And what does it want with Nathalie Sancoeur?





	In the Shadows

**Author's Note:**

  * For [poppicock](https://archiveofourown.org/users/poppicock/gifts).



> A gift for my darling friend Poppicock because she is awesome. I love you, and I hope you love this. And everyone else, I hope you enjoy this too.

No one went near Grayling manor. That was the number one rule. The old, abandoned estate in the countryside hadn’t been touched in nearly fifty years. Not since a night so tragic those involved dare not utter a word as to what had transpired. And when those people had died, all that remained was the muted horror and the mystery. In the ensuing years, many had tried their hand at entering the grounds, entering the manor. It had become a challenge of mettle for local boys, noble and peasant alike, to sneak inside and light a candle from the observatory window with its unusual butterfly motif pane. None ever succeeded, though they’d often gained a shock of white hair, if they ever returned; which some did not. Grayling manor became a place of both terror and intrigue.

As a governess, it was Nathalie Sancoeur’s job to beat and educate such precocious curiosity out of her young pupils. A task made much more difficult by the fact that she was the only governess of any merit within the area. And the only one who had been willing to leave Paris for her salary. Which meant, she was paid much more to act as a governess to multiple young women within the country, to lower members of the landed gentry. And, as was commonplace with the nouveau riche, their daughters simply had no concept of proper comportment. Which, she supposed, was her reason for being here. But still, teaching five precocious girls to mind their manners and focus on their lessons was much easier said than done. Especially when, as it did every year, the season of All Hallow’s Eve rolled around.

“Come on,” she heard the young Miss Cesaire whisper to her friend Miss Dupain-Cheng, “We  _ have _ to do this Marinette. Can you honestly say you aren’t the least bit curious of what’s inside there?”

“But Alya,” Marinette whispered back, clearly afraid of being caught, “It’s been abandoned for fifty years. Surely, with no one around it’s only become incredibly dangerous,”

“Marinette please,” Alya scoffed, “Don’t you want to do what no one else has? Imagine it, we’d make headlines. Not only would we be the first people to shine a light from inside the observatory, but  _ girls _ would have succeeded where men failed! And you can’t deny me the chance to find out what actually happened on that night, the anniversary is coming-”

Technically they were likely wrong on that account, but because the autumnal season so captured the macabre imagination the legend had somehow gotten it that the incident at Grayling manor had occured on All Hallow’s Eve. Whether it actually had or not was irrelevant, it was all part of the allure and aesthetic. Especially the rumors that portended it was an incredibly grisly murder which had set a curse upon the estate. Still, Nathalie thought it best to nip such scandalous behavior right in the bud. Her ruler, constantly in hand, was instantly smacked against the hard wood of her desk with a sharp and resounding ‘thwack’ which caused the entire room to either jump or flinch. It was never a real threat, Nathalie had been disciplined so much as a girl that corporal punishment was not an idea she believed in. It was, however, great for getting their attention, and the threat of violence was typically enough to keep them all in line.

“Mademoiselles Cesaire and Dupain-Cheng, return your attention to the lesson at hand,” Nathalie instructed, turning only to send them a stern glare, “We will not discuss silly myths when it is time for you to work on your comportment. Have either of you been working on your embroidery?”

Alya demonstrated her lack of ability with a messy cross-stitch she’d only half-completed. Meanwhile Marinette presented a lovely floral arrangement done only with the colored threads. The rest of the class dug out their own samplers, none were as good as Marinette’s, but none were as bad as Alya’s. Nathalie continued, instructing them in English and Latin, before they moved to instruments. Miss Alix Kubdel didn’t care much for music, though she loved to paint. And the Misses Rose Lavilant and Juleka Couffaine performed well only when paired on the piano. Lessons finished, but the girls were still obsessed with the story of Grayling manor. Nathalie sighed, her friend Caline might have known what to do with them and the issue they were bound to cause if they kept on this ridiculous track, but Nathalie wasn’t entirely sure of what to do.

The whispers consumed their lessons, and when Nathalie slammed her books or her ruler to try and get them focused on the tasks at hand they just as quickly devolved the moment she took her watchful eye off them. Eventually Nathalie had to put a stop to it point blank,

“If I hear one more word about some foolish excursion to Grayling manor I swear to you all there will be serious repercussions. Allow me to clarify one thing to you girls right now, whatever happened in that manor was forgotten for a  _ reason _ . It was tragic, surely, whatever happened there. But, despite us not knowing, there is absolutely, emphatically,  _ no such thing _ as ghosts or curses. Should you continue to disrupt your lessons with talk of such nonsense, I will report as much to your parents, and suggest a punishment far worse than any I have ever doled out to any of you. Is. That. clear?” silence reigned for a moment with the shock of her vehemence. Nathalie considered herself a strict and respectable governess, one who remained detached from her students in order to maintain a professional atmosphere. They weren’t with her for fun, they were with her to learn how to be proper ladies. But Nathalie could only take so much and remain unaffected, “I said; is that  _ clear _ ?”

“Yes Mademoiselle Sancoeur,” they chorused. With a sigh of measured relief Nathalie returned her attention to honing their viability as candidates for the marriage mart.

The month began to pass in earnest. And, like a fool, Nathalie thought they had taken her threat to heart and forgone the whole matter. They certainly never said anything about it during lessons. And if they wanted to gossip about it on their own time, well that was their business, not hers. She should have known better, especially when they begged to stay the night at Marinette’s house, closest by distance to the Grayling estate. But, she had agreed, the parents of all involved had agreed. And as Nathalie was originally contracted as Marinette’s governess she would keep an eye on them since she lived on the property.

Five silly little girls trading fanciful ghost stories on All Hallow’s Eve, what could possibly go wrong? Nathalie had left them to go to bed, and she had nearly fallen asleep when sudden realization struck her. They had planned to sneak out and go to the manor. Nathalie bolted upright in her bed, and immediately a crack of thunder echoed in the sky, just as the flash of lightning faded away. Great, they were heading out in the middle of a thunderstorm, as if nature itself wanted to mock Nathalie for her foolishness. She threw on a dressing robe and then a cloak and hurried out after them. Thankfully they still carried their lanterns and candles, so they were relatively easy to follow. The heavens had nearly opened up by the time she caught them though. Well, most of them. Out of the five she normally governed only three were there.

“What did I say?” she shouted over the increasing noise of the storm, “You shouldn’t be out here!”

“We know,” Rose trembled, clinging tightly to Juleka, “Alya convinced us we needed to do it. But when we got here… Juleka and I refused to go inside. Alix volunteered to stay out here with us.”

“So Marinette and Alya are inside?”

“To be fair,” Alix interjected, “Alya kind of goaded her into it. You know how she gets,”

“Too well,” Nathalie muttered, “Alright, you three head back to the house. I’m going in after them. Hurry, before the storm hits and you all get soaked.”

The trio nodded and hurried off. Nathalie faced the outer door of the manor. It still had to be locked, which meant there was another way in. But where was it? She had to run around, and hopefully neither girl had strayed too far from their entrance. An old servants door was pushed open, blowing in the rising breeze. Nathalie clutched the cloak tighter around her as she took a deep breath and stepped inside. The door seemed to lead into the kitchen, which then branched out into a massive network of hallways and rooms. Armed with nothing but her wits and her desire to see the girls safe she continued onward. Thankfully, it didn’t take long to find Alya, apparently she had better spatial acuity than her friend. Either that or the grand staircase was just too dangerous to traverse.

“Alya Cesaire!” Nathalie rebuked sharply, “Why on earth did you convince your friends this absolutely dangerous and idiotic endeavor was worth the punishment you are now going to face?”

Alya looked panicked, “I’m sorry, I didn’t think it would be this hard. I didn’t think Marinette would get lost, I-” she jumped as the lightning flashed and the thunder shortly accompanied it.

Nathalie shook her head, “Nevermind all that. Get out of the house, go back to the Dupain-Cheng estate. Meet with the other girls. I’ll stay here and look for Marinette.”

“But-”

“No buts!” Nathalie ordered, “It is my job to keep an eye on you girls. Get back, get warmed up, if I don’t return with Marinette in an hour, wake the house and get help. Alright?”

Biting her lip, Alya nodded. Nathalie drew off her cloak, “Here, you didn’t bring yours and it’s about to storm, badly if the thunder and lightning are any indication. Take this and go, now!”

Alya fastened the cloak around her neck and scurried off. A few moments later, with a loud crack of thunder and a brilliant flash of lightning the skies opened up and let down their deluge. Nathalie shuddered against the chill of the empty and silent house. She had to find Marinette.

“Marinette!” she called out into the darkness, “Marinette, where are you!”

Nothing but silence and the echoing of her own voice answered her. The thunder crashed, the lightning flashed, the rain poured forth, a pounding rhythm beating against the exterior of the house. Nathalie tugged her wrapper close together, trying to ward off the chill, and the insistent nagging feeling that had the hairs on the back of her neck prickling. The feeling that she was being watched. Continuously she was casting her gaze around the dark and gloomy mausoleum, trying to make that feeling go away. To the point where she nearly stumbled over something, something that looked incredibly like a corpse. Nathalie had to cover her mouth to stifle the scream that had been resting in her breast at the situation, waiting for the perfect opportunity to come out. The lightning flashed and Nathalie let out a sigh of relief as the flicker of momentary brightness glanced off the metallic form of a fallen suit of armor. A suit, just a suit, not a body. Nathalie pressed onward, but there were so many rooms, Marinette could be in one of any of them.

Nathalie paused a moment, telling herself to think calmly and rationally. The girls had snuck out to the Grayling manor. For what purpose? The challenge was to light a lantern or candle from the odd observatory window, so that would be their goal. If Alya had lost Marinette before reaching the second floor, it would conceivably rule out the upper floors. Then again, according to Alix Marinette had been goaded, and Marinette could be incredibly stubborn. If she had wandered off it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility she had made it upstairs. And Marinette was resourceful, much more capable than she was often given credit for. As well as lucky, she was likely upstairs. Another deep breath and Nathalie wound her way back to the central staircase. She placed one slippered foot on the step, wincing as the stair creaked beneath the carpet. Nathalie felt her heart stop as the sound echoed ominously in the supposedly empty manor. Fifty years, fifty years this place had been abandoned. Fifty years people had gone and let themselves get frightened by an old abandoned building. Fifty years… fifty years of stories, fifty years of missing people who hadn’t come back home.

No! Nathalie shook her head. There was no such thing as ghosts. No such thing as curses, no such thing as danger except her slipping and breaking her neck because she was letting her thoughts run away with her. She continued up the stairs and onto the second floor.

“Marinette!” she called down the hall, still no response. And still that eerie feeling of being watched persisted, refused to fade. All of Nathalie’s senses were on high alert as she called out Marinette’s name like a holy refrain, nearly screaming herself hoarse as she wandered throughout the old mansion like a listless and lostlorn spirit. With her loose hair and her flowing gown, she certainly looked the part.

It wasn’t until she reached the west wing of the third floor that things even remotely changed. She was stopped as the lightning flashed, illuminating the room and revealing it to be some sort of small portrait gallery. One filled with small paintings. All except one. Behind her Nathalie saw an enormous canvas, depicting what could only be interpreted as a golden goddess. Gold was her hair, her dress, everything. The only thing that wasn’t, was her eyes. They were a verdant green, glimmering like gems from her fixed point of vision. Nathalie’s breath caught in her throat. Though the woman was beautiful, she almost looked melancholic, sad and wistful, though for what reason Nathalie could not put to name.

And then, she heard it, footsteps. Could it possibly be?

“Marinette?” she called in the direction she heard the sound coming from. The footsteps paused, and then hurriedly walked away. Nathalie, not having any better ideas, followed after them. They stopped near an open door. Heart beating frantically in her chest Nathalie pushed it open further, and saw a figure huddled on the ground in the corner of the dusty old room.

“Marinette?” she whispered, a knot forming in her throat at the thought of what might happen were she proven wrong.

The figure bolted with a start, as though they’d been awoken from slumber. Much to Nathalie’s relief, it was the girl she had been searching for, “Nathalie?” she asked blearily, rubbing her eyes with a hand.

Nathalie rushed over to her, Marinette’s skin was like ice. How long had she been sitting here in the cold? More importantly, how long had Nathalie been searching? Surely it had been longer than an hour, where was the search party she’d instructed Alya to send? Quickly she urged the young woman to her feet, doing everything in her power to bring life back into her gaunt and pallid face. The lightning flashed, the thunder crashed, causing Marinette to jump into full awareness.

“Nathalie?”

“What happened?”

“I… I got as far as the third floor, and then I heard something crash and I got so scared. And it… it was so cold,” Marinette explained through chattering teeth, “And then…”

“Yes?”

“There was a man…”

“What do you mean a man?”

“He came and sat with me, trying to keep me awake. But, I guess I fell asleep anyways,” the girl was trembling. And to help keep them both warm Nathalie drew her in close, tucking Marinette’s head under her own chin, rubbing warming and comforting circles on her back.

“Marinette,” Nathalie soothed, “There is no one else in this place, I saw no one. No one else has come to this place.”

“He was there,” Marinette insisted sluggishly, as though she were losing strength, “He was… so handsome, and kind.”

“Handsome?”

“Blonde hair,” Marinette murmured as though she were drifting off again, “Green eyes, pretty smile…”

This wasn’t good. Marinette was losing consciousness again. Nathalie had to find the means to make a fire and warm them up. But it was so hard with the thought that someone else might be here too. Why had they not stayed with Marinette? Had they gone to get help? The manor was big, but surely they had to have heard her calling out. Why had they not responded? There was no one here, and no such thing as ghosts… right?

Nathalie shivered, the cold was really starting to get to her too. At the very least she had to find a room with a bed and some warm, if not musty, blankets for them to wait out the storm. But, Marinette sagged against her, utterly motionless. No. No, no, no! The cold was everywhere, creeping in and frosting the window over. Marinette’s head lolled to the side and Nathalie noticed dark marks near the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Nathalie felt that same type of chilly fog seeping into her head, frosting over the corners of her vision. Tired, she felt tired, and cold. The strength in her limbs began to fade, and she began to falter. Both she and Marinette sunk to the plush carpet beneath their feet, and as her vision went black Nathalie called out with the last of her strength, for a savior.

MLB

She woke up feeling warm. Warmer than she had felt when she lost consciousness. Both Marinette and herself remained sprawled out on the floor. But the room held an undeniable presence that had not been there before. Nathalie licked at the roof of her mouth, surprised by the lingering remnants of something metallic on her tongue, maybe she’d bitten her lip when she passed out? She peered about in the darkness, and then she saw it. Fading red embers from charred and blackened wood. A dying fire breathing its last with a wispy tendril of gray smoke that curled through the air. She still felt weak, though not as weak as earlier. But who had lit the burnt out fire? How long had passed since they had succumbed to the chill? And, more importantly, why had they been left on the floor. Nathalie prodded at a sore spot on her neck, probably from her time spent sleeping on the floor. Oddly enough though, she didn’t feel sore anywhere else. Which meant that she had been left alone, why would whoever was hiding within the shadows only light a fire to warm the unwanted guests up? There were so many questions that Nathalie couldn’t find answers to. And perhaps, she shivered as she thought of the stories and how they might have held a bit more truth than she desired to consider, she didn’t want to.

What she did want to do, however was get out of there as fast as possible. Nathalie roused Marinette, who seemed kind of delirious and they stood. Except, perhaps they stood too quickly, because the whole room seemed to spin. They sank back down to their knees until the light-headedness seemed to fade. Leaning heavily on one another, the two made their way down the levels of the manor and stumbled out into the dark and ominous night. The rain had stopped, but the clouds were still there watching over them like foreboding spectators as they sloshed through the grounds back to the Dupain-Cheng Estate. Dawn had nearly broken by the time they got there. A worried party was eagerly awaiting them, anxiously watching the two women struggle. The servants rushed to help their young mistress and her brave tutor. Marinette and Nathalie collapsed into their waiting arms.

The next time Nathalie awoke it was in her own bed in her own room at her employer’s estate. Her dreams had been restless, frightful even, but fleeting. As it were now Nathalie could not remember what unholy visions caused the violent trembling that remained upon her waking. Her breathing was harsh and ragged, as though she had been running, her heart beat quick within her breast. The tremors continued against her will for a few moments more before at last abating. Nathalie looked outside to learn it was nearly dusk. Well, that would not do, she’d slept the whole day away. Immediately Nathalie slid out of bed and set to readying herself for the remainder of the evening. She was no lady, who could lie in bed all day, she was a governess, a working woman, and she would not let a group of foolish girls change that. Besides, there was still the matter of their punishment to think of. She sat at her vanity, brushing out her hair when she noticed a small box lying on the counter.

Odd, that hadn’t been there yesterday. Nathalie set down the hairbrush and opened it. Inside was a piece of jewelry, far finer than anything Nathalie had ever owned. A butterfly, encrusted with jewels, and set in such a way that it changed colors fluidly; starting with sapphires for its body, fanning out to amethysts and ending in bloodied garnets at the edge of its curling wings. Hesitantly, Nathalie picked up the piece. It was a necklace, meant to settle just below the neckline, the tips of its wings peeking out. Nathalie stared at it for a moment. Surely there had to be a mistake. No one in their right mind would have given a governess such a magnificent gift. She had to return it. And yet… her fingers unconsciously clutched tight around the present, unwilling to let it go. In an almost dream-like stupor Nathalie took the chain between her fingers and clasped the necklace about her neck. The butterfly settled itself nicely on her collarbone, feeling strangely warm, likely from her hands. The chain rubbed against a spot near her shoulder and caused her to wince with pain, but when Nathalie examined the area she couldn’t detect why it would be so sore.

She finished dressing and quickly went down to the kitchens in order to procure some food. Lord Dupain and Lady Cheng were in the parlor when she finished. Nathalie froze, having intended to simply do some quiet reading by the fire. She had not expected her employers to be there, seemingly waiting for her. Her fingers tightened on the book and she instinctively dipped into a curtsy,

“Your graces,” she conceded, “Allow me to apologize for my egregious error-”

“Error?” Lord Tom Dupain raised a brow as he rose from his chair. He was an incredibly large man, known for his love of culinary confection. He often got into arguments with the chef over use of the kitchen as it was how he relaxed, “You cannot be in trouble for our daughter’s actions,”

“Quite the contrary,” Lady Sabine, a slight noble from China, added, “You went after them and took them all to task, then you braved the perils of an abandoned and dangerous house to bring our Marinette back to us. You deserve all measure of praise for your loyalty and dedication.”

“Oh…” Nathalie didn’t know what to say to that, “How is Miss Marinette anyways?”

“Still sleeping,” Tom replied, “She was incredibly weak when you both arrived. I’ve had the physician sent for and he’s said it’s likely a chill she caught. Best to let her rest they said,”

“Oh,” Nathalie said again, “How long did they say it may take for her to recover?”

“There’s no telling,” Sabine shrugged, “We’ll have the cook make some broth and feed her in the morning. In the meantime, the rest of the girls should continue their education. Tomorrow should continue as planned. Marinette will join you when she’s recovered,”

“As you wish your graces,” Nathalie bowed again and exited the room.

MLB

Despite having slept most of the day away, by the time Nathalie returned to her room she felt exhausted. Belatedly wondering why she’d gone to the trouble of dressing in the first place Nathalie stripped down to her chemise and pulled the pins out of her hair. As she brushed out the waves from the restrained hairstyle her eyes caught on the glimmer of the butterfly in the low light. Logically she knew she should remove it, such finery was not meant to be slept in. But even as her hands reached for the clasp they hesitated, almost shaking. Nathalie eventually decided to leave it, if only for the night. The necklace had been unremarked upon by anyone who had seen her that day, which was strange in and of itself, as everyone who knew her knew Nathalie didn’t wear jewelry. But, no one saying anything meant that no one was looking for the necklace either, so Nathalie could do as she pleased with it without fear of getting in trouble. She returned to her bed, sliding beneath the covers and letting her head sink into the pillow. As a governess she got a nicer room away from the servants quarters, which allowed for a bit more luxury than she might have expected, especially considering the generous salary she received from all the families. It was easier to fall asleep than she might have thought, considering she’d rested the whole day.

But her dreams, her dreams were something different entirely. Nathalie found herself back in Grayling Manor, the ruined splendor a suitable backdrop for her rather melancholy mood. She wandered the abandoned halls listlessly, looking for something but not knowing what it was. Oddly enough, she felt no fear or terror of something sneaking up behind her. Some might have rationalized that it was because she was dreaming, but though Nathalie knew she had fallen asleep, she wasn’t entirely convinced she was dreaming. It just felt all too real. And that was when her heart began to quicken its pace. A dream should never have felt as real as this. And yet, it felt so, so real.

She heard footsteps, echoing off in the distance. Logic dictated that she should run away, given her experiences with the place. But for whatever reason, she wanted to follow. Still, the house was confusing, and dreaming didn’t help. Nothing was logical in a dream, you went from one place to the next within the blink of an eye. Not only was there no time spent traveling, there was no continuity between one place and another. Where she had been and where she suddenly was now were completely different. And Nathalie had no idea of either. This place, though still decrepit and rundown, looked more opulent, and more well kept. As though someone lived there.

_ “There you are,” _ it was a voice, but not one she could place. It sounded like the voice of her own mind resonating without tone or inflection or volume, but audible just the same. It continued,  _ “I was beginning to think you’d gotten lost. But,” _ and suddenly she was aware of a presence in the shadows, watching her calculatingly, _ “That would be impossible.” _

“And why is that?” she asked. Unlike her companion, Nathalie’s own voice resonated within the vacuum of the room loud and clear.

_ “Because,” _ the voice replied, coming from everywhere while the presence itself was close behind her. A tendril of darkness, an arm perhaps, swept about her waist while another brushed at her collar, touching the jewel whose weight she only just registered,  _ “No matter where you go, no matter what you do; that little butterfly will always lead you back to me,” _

“Well,  _ that’s _ not ominous at all,” Nathalie broke away, self-consciously brushed down her clothes, only now remembering she was still in her chemise and robe. She turned to look at her companion, and saw only a form of shadow, with piercing eyes of an indiscriminate color as they raked over her, “What do you want?”

The figure laughed,  _ “Try not wasting your breath on useless questions dear. I already  _ **_have_ ** _ what I want. _ ”

Nathalie narrowed her gaze at… him? Them? She couldn’t really tell what the speaker was, though the general build of the shadow and the rather amorous way they’d gripped her made her lean towards the former, “Alright then,” she prodded, “What do you want with  _ me _ ?”

She felt his smirk, since she couldn’t see it, “What would any normal man want from a beautiful woman?” he asked in reply.

Nathalie blushed despite herself. She wasn’t here to be seduced by a shadow, she was here to… to… Wait, what  _ was _ she doing here?

The voice chuckled at her flustered state before continuing, “ _ Regardless, it’s isn’t necessarily about what I want from you, but rather what you are  _ **_going_ ** _ to do for me. _ ”

“What makes you think I would do whatever you say so willingly?” Nathalie narrowed her eyes at him.

“ _ Oh my pretty little bird, _ ” the voice cajoled, the presence sliding close to her, trapping her in its embrace. Cold, Nathalie felt cold, and yet- strangely heated. Her heart was beating fast beneath her breast, her breathing quickened. A shadowy hand reached up to cup her face, and what passed for the head leaned in close to her own. For a brief moment she thought the monster might dare kiss her, but no. No, he leaned in, and with that blank yet commanding voice he whispered, “ _ You don’t have a choice. _ ”

And then she  _ was _ kissed, at the corner of her jaw. Nathalie’s knees buckled beneath her, her form supported by the specter’s phantom strength.

“Ah!” came the sound of her half-strangled moan, quickly cut off by a gasp of feminine shock.

Shock and delight. Something underpinned by the way the faceless form ghosted nonexistent lips down the column of her throat, brushing aside the chemise’s strap. Cold, numb, and yet so hot it burned. And then, a jolt of pain so jarring Nathalie bolted upright in her bed, panting harshly and looking around wildly. The moon was still high in the sky through the gloomy night, shining in silver through her undrawn windows. Nathalie sat there, paralyzed with fear for a moment or two, and then her fingers gingerly brushed against the dream’s site of injury. Her flesh was unmarred, though she’d been expecting to find a bite mark of some kind.

No, no, Nathalie shook her head of the ridiculous notion that’d begun to form. There were no such things as ghosts. And that also went for any bloodthirsty creatures lingering in the night as well.

MLB

By the time morning came Nathalie found herself restless. Sleep had not returned easily after the nightmare which she could no longer remember. She had alternated between tossing and turning and sitting hunched over in her bed, arms clasped tight about her knees. When dawn rose Nathalie quietly slid out of bed and got dressed. She caught sight of the butterfly jewel at her throat and a wave of unexplained terror washed over her. So deep and consuming it caused her to physically pause. And was it her, or did something look… off with her mirror? Nathalie couldn’t tell what it was, but it looked different, there was a subtle change in it that she registered but couldn’t identify. Oh well, at least there was a healthy flush to her cheeks this morning.

She wandered down to the kitchens, where she saw a freshly slaughtered slab of meat waiting on the chopping block. The beef dripped, rivulets of red water running over its glistening surface. And though she’d idly wondered what uncooked beef tasted like Nathalie had never felt the desire to savagely rip into the bleeding animal flesh like a deranged beast who’d been neither fed nor watered for an eternity. And yet, there it was. Nathalie stared off into space, directly fixed on the preparation table as her mind wandered about the multitude of possibilities of devouring the raw meat and the explosion of its juices on her tongue. The cook came in,

“Good morning Miss Sancoeur,” they greeted, jarring Nathalie out of her stupor, “Ah, you’ve noticed the fresh kill we’ve brought in this morning eh?”

“Ah, yes,” Nathalie quickly recovered, “Big plans for it?”

“Pot au feu,” the cook replied, “Got to start early to have it perfect for dinner you know. Ingredients are at their freshest when first picked.”

“Let no one doubt your talent,” Nathalie remarked, “And you’ll be cutting it up?”

“With any luck, I won’t have to,” the cook answered, “If it’s done properly the meat should melt in your mouth anyways.”

“Ah, well,” Nathalie nodded, “Good then. Do you have some food I might procure for my breakfast?”

“Ah yes,” the cook suddenly remembered, “Breakfast is already served. You know how his lordship likes to get up early. Go on into the dining room, eat up, you look like death warmed over.”

Nathalie blinked at that description. And here she’d thought she’d looked pretty good this morning. Breakfast with his Lord and Ladyship was always a quiet affair on Nathalie’s part. She was simply too aware of their positions relative to her own. So she quickly finished the meal that she suddenly had no desire to consume despite how ravenous she had felt just a few moments ago. Once finished the governess retreated to her instructionary room and began to write each infacting girl’s name upon the board. When the misses entered into their classroom they saw their name and each of their favorite activities on the board. Hurriedly they took their seats, watching as their instructor continued with her back to them. The cold November day meant gray skies with minimal sunlight, but the curtains were only drawn on one side, sending Nathalie’s form in shadow at the front of the room. The girls quietly settled into their seats, trying to avoid punishment by making her forget, or not reminding her of their infractions had she already forgotten.

“Good morning girls,” Nathalie slowly turned around, “Can you all read the board?”

There was a quiet murmur of assent and nodding heads in response to her question.

“Can you all verify what is written under your names is correct?”

Again, the murmures and nods.

“Good,” Nathalie placed the chalk to the side and brushed the dust off of her hands, “These activities, in accordance with your names, will be taken out of your general education for the next two weeks. The time the rest of you girls will be performing one of these activities, the other will be practicing their most hated subject, which though I have not written down here for your verification be well aware I know exactly what they are.”

There was a collective groan at this news. Nathalie silenced it with a snap of her ruler against her desk.

“Silence!” she said sternly, “You girls did a foolish thing, and regardless of the punishment your own parents have given you you all need to learn that there are consequences when you act in a manner unbefitting of your stations and status. Not to mention, you put both Miss Dupain-Cheng and myself in grave danger. Miss Cesaire,” she turned to Alya, “Did I not instruct you after sending you out of the building to get help if we were not back in an hour?”

“I tried,” Alya protested, “The storm was so bad no one could go out. And then by the time it cleared they said they’d found you dragging Marinette across the grounds.”

“Be that as it may,” Nathalie kept her expression neutral, “Miss Marinette is on bedrest for the foreseeable future because  _ you _ goaded her into completing some stupid and foolhardy ritual that no one has ever been able to do. And you are lucky that I have not made your punishment even harsher for that very reason.”

“Yes Miss Sancoeur,” Alya cowed.

“Good,” Nathalie nodded, “Two weeks, everyone. Now, let us begin with our lessons for today.”

It was only two days into the fortnight of punishment that Marinette was deemed in good enough health to rejoin them. But there was something different about her, the governess noticed. She had a listless, dreamy presence in her eyes at all times, and she moved about as though she were scarcely better than a living ghost, present but not really there. And pale, she looked so, so, pale. But while Nathalie was concerned about the health of her student after such a traumatizing event, she couldn’t find the time. Nathalie had her own problems to deal with.

She wondered if she might have caught something from her brief period of unconsciousness at Grayling Manor. Her health seemed to be in a state of decline as well. The days left her feeling tiresome and sluggish, yet by the time night fell it was so difficult to get to sleep. There was this nagging sensation of presence, of being watched that seemed to follow her no matter where she went. She would suffer sudden dizzy spells at random times, her vision around her blurring until she was sure she was hallucinating the rundown surroundings around her. And just as quickly she would go back to normal. Her appetite had all but vanished except in the presence freshly killed animals, where she was suddenly starved of all sustenance. It was a fight simply to choke down what was put in front of her in the hopes of returning to normal.

And the nights, the nights! They were perhaps the worst of all. Tossing and turning and feeling wide awake only to force herself to sleep. And when she did, the dreams, the nightmares. Nathalie honestly couldn’t tell which they were. She never remembered once she was abruptly woken. Every night, snapped out of slumber without a rhyme or reason or hint as to why. All she usually remembered was this shadowy male figure she met. Did they talk? Did they play a game of cat and mouse? Nathalie honestly didn’t know. What she did know was the result. She would bolt up in her bed, gasping for breath with sheets damp. Sometimes from fear, sometimes from an emotion Nathalie could not name. Always just before the dawn, where she would make certain her curtains were drawn. That was another thing, Nathalie now detested the sunlight. Any time she could get away with avoiding it, she did. Fortuitous enough, winter was swift approaching which meant the days were incredibly short.

The evening after the last day of punishment Nathalie settled herself in for a night of wrestling with sleep, her ever elusive mistress recently. But, oddly enough, it came easily. The dream world was so familiar once she entered it. She had been here before. Grayling Manor, in that peculiar room she could not find the words to describe. Her mysterious companion lurking in the shadows he undoubtedly drew his form from.

“ _ You’ve been resisting _ ,” he remarked, sounding just the slightest bit impressed, “ _ I’m surprised. Most don’t have the force of will to resist the change, _ ”

“Thank you,” Nathalie replied stiffly. This man loved to taunt and tease her, challenging her knowledge on every subject imaginable and leading her in endless circles round a maze with nothing but enigmatic puzzles at every turn. Every answer he gave only brought more questions.

“ _ That wasn’t a compliment, _ ” he replied, “ _ You’re weak, and growing weaker. You cannot keep doing this to yourself. _ ”

“And why not?” Nathalie shot back, “Whatever you’ve been forcing me to do, I don’t want to do it. If I lose my life to gain my freedom, is that really such a high cost?”

“ _ You seem to be under the impression I would allow you to do that _ ,” he replied, “ _ Which I most certainly will not. You belong to me, you’re  _ **_mine_ ** _ and I’m not going to let you think otherwise. You’ve wasted so much time already, become so weak. You can be glorious, all you need to do is give in _ ,”

“Give in to what?” Nathalie felt her fear rising. Dream or no this wasn’t a sane person speaking.

“ _ Give in to the night _ ,” the voice cajoled, “ _ Give in to what you are becoming. Forget the life you knew, it does not matter anymore. Go, wake, and become what you were meant to be _ ,”

MLB

Nathalie’s eyes opened, but there was no fear, no undefinable emotions, not even the frantic beat of her heart. The darkness enveloped her, but her senses felt so sharp she could see without it. Silently she rose from her bed with but one pounding desire, to get outside. As she was passing through the silent hallways a blur of color caught her eye. A figure dressed in vibrant colors was swiftly making their way through the halls. A flash of red caught Nathalie’s eye. Red, the color of life, the color of  _ blood _ .

Her target changed, and instantly she was trailing this unsuspecting victim. She gave a momentary pause when they reached the outside of the house and the moonlight revealed the person to be none other than Marinette. But all reservations about any plans she had for her employer’s daughter were quickly forgotten. The moon felt good on her skin, the night air was invigorating with its deathly bite. Nathalie felt dead, and she felt alive. But she knew she would feel more alive if she could just get at that bit of red beating beneath the young girl’s flesh.

Nathalie followed Marinette to the family graveyard, silently stalking the girl further and further into the necropolis, ducking around monuments to the dearly departed. That presence was there within her mind, a link to someone, something, that watched her progress intently. But as for its own emotions, they were muted, and Nathalie was too starving to try and see what defenses they might have put up. Marinette was meeting a young man dressed all in black.

“Minou,” she greeted softly, dreamily. The man turned and Nathalie was hit with an intense wave of deja vu. The boy looked exactly like that portrait she’d seen so many nights ago. But that portrait was at least fifty years old, and the house had been abandoned. Yet he looked too similar to be anything besides a direct descendant of the woman.

His verdant eyes lit up when he saw her, “My lady,” he greeted, placing a kiss on her hand.

And suddenly Nathalie’s head began to throb with intense pain. Pain so great she couldn’t remain hidden, stumbling out into their meeting place as she sunk to her knees and gripped at her skull, trying to relieve the pressure building within it. She couldn’t control her body, she couldn’t move. And the next thing she knew she was slammed against one of the mausoleums, held up by her throat by the golden-haired man with acid in his eyes.

“Who are you?” he hissed, voice sounding utterly inhuman, “How did you find us?”

“Adrien no!” Nathalie dimly heard Marinette say. But it didn’t matter, he was intent on killing. And Nathalie was too weak to make work of this whelp. One hand gripped at the wrist of the hand at her throat. The other instinctively reached for the butterfly tucked beneath her chemise, knowing it would help. Suddenly the presence was overwhelming within her mind. It felt like she had been placed on a seat within a room of her own mind, and she had been taken out of control of her own body, watching the events unfold from a distance away.

She saw the boy’s eyes go wide and a gasp of shock. At what, Nathalie didn’t know. And frankly, she didn’t care as whatever he saw caused him to let her go. But now that she was free, she was furious. Nathalie bared her teeth and hissed at the boy, lunging at him with a speed she hadn’t known she’d possessed. Adrien managed to fend her off, but she was in a frenzy now, not to be easily defeated. And then, she heard a voice. No, not  _ a _ voice,  _ the _ voice. The one from her dreams.

“Nathalie,” her name, he called her name. And his voice was as rich and hypnotic as she imagined it must have been. And part of her, it recognized him for what he was.

“Master,” she breathed softly, too softly to be heard as an actual word.

He said nothing in response, not a perfectly coiffed hair out of place. He merely drew down his sleeve, baring the skin between the cuff and the edge of his fine kidskin glove. He opened his mouth, she saw sharp, inhuman teeth bared for just a moment before he tore into his own wrist. Blood, lifeblood dripping from his veins. Nathalie licked her lips, desire for what he had filling every fibre of her being.

“Come,” he ordered simply. Her hands trembled as she reached for his arm, softly he cradled her head as she drank greedily from his wrist, held close to her mouth like a teat for a suckling infant.

“Father?” Adrien gasped, “But what- how did you find me? And what are you doing with that, that-”

“Nathalie,” his father responded, “Her name is Nathalie, and she was the reason I was able to find you. I should have known letting you spare that girl when she dared to trespass in our home was a mistake. But, I decided to use her rescuer against her.”

Nathalie stopped drinking at that news, pausing and looking up at her sire with a bloodied mouth, “Master?” she questioned.

“I told you didn’t I?” he parried, “That first night. I had what I wanted, which was you, and how you were going to do with me. You didn’t even realize you were doing it, so you cannot be accused of any deception. I had you keep an eye on that little girl of yours,”

“The headaches,” Nathalie realized quietly, “The hallucinations, the presence in my mind-”

“All a result of our mental link my little fledgling,” he acknowledged, “Adrien you cannot tie yourself down to one mortal. Your powers are still far too unstable, for the love of god can you not see what you’ve done to her already?”

“Adrien?” Marinette tilted her head softly at him from her protected position behind him, “Who is this?”

“Gabriel Agreste,” Adrien replied, “King of Vampires, and my father.”

Gabriel smirked, “Enchanted,” he deadpanned, “But you really don’t see what you’re doing, do you?”

“I was going to present her to you tonight,” Adrien scuffed at the ground with his shoe, “I want to spend the rest of my nights with her, so I’ve been invoking the change-”

“You don’t know how to properly change someone!” Gabriel sternly cut his child off, “You are of royal vampire blood. You think you can simply feed a mortal your blood for a couple of nights and she’ll be fine? Do you want a repeat of fifty years ago to happen again?”

“I, no Father,” Adrien ducked his head, “It’s just, I’ve never felt this way about anyone. I never felt remorse for the others, but she was so brave and-”

“Enough excuses,” Gabriel sealed up his wound, “You might be a young man, but you are not fully fledged. You cannot create a fledgling of your own. If you tried to complete the transformation now you would kill her, and she wouldn’t be coming back.”

“But, what about you!” Adrien accused, “What about Nathalie?”

“I am much older than you, a fully fledged vampire,  _ and _ know what I’m doing,” Gabriel parried, “Nathalie’s transformation only took as long as it did because she herself was resisting. And even then, it came at a price. You saw how weak she was when first meeting her. I guarantee you after she gets some true sustenance in her veins she’ll be as powerful as you, and only need to learn control.”

“Master?” Nathalie prodded quietly, “Was I nothing more than a means to an end?”

“In part,” Gabriel admitted, “But I didn’t need to turn you into a vampire for something as asinine as spying on my son’s newest fancy. There are plenty of compulsion spells for that.”

“Then, why-”

“No more questions now,” Gabriel held up a hand and instantly Nathalie’s mouth shut, nearly cutting her tongue on her newly acquired fangs. A vampire, she was a vampire now.

“And as for you,” Gabriel’s look was icy, “You will restore the lady to her estate,”

“But Father-”

“And you will allow her to recover,” Gabriel continued without even allowing for the interruption. Once she is back to full health, you will petition me for a presentation. And when such time comes you will present her before me with her petition to join the royal family as your bride. I will review her family lineage, health, and education and  _ then _ make my decision.” he paused for a moment, “And, should I decide to accept this petition,  _ I _ will be the one to turn her. She will be my fledgling until such a time as I declare both of you no longer in need of a master. Once fully fledged, you may marry. Again,  _ per _ my decision to accept her in the first place which -based on how gaunt and dead she looks- I am not inclined to agreeable to. Now, take the young lady home Adrien.”

There was a resigned sigh that accompanied his, “Yes, Father,” but there was undeniable hope in his eyes. He took Marinette by the arm and began walking her back to her room. Nathalie stood there, unaffected by the cold.

“Master?” she questioned a third time, “Now what?”

“You do not need to call me master,” Gabriel replied, “We are mentally linked, and I can tell how much you seethe at using it. Gabriel will do just fine,”

Happy to have been granted that permission Nathalie narrowed her eyes at him, “Now, care to explain to me how I got caught up in all this?”

“You entered my domain in nothing more than a chemise and robe, and proceeded to charge each wing like there was some great evil to be vanquished. And even when the chill of death set in you refused to give up. By that point Adrien had already fed from the girl but refused to drain her. It was worrisome, as he is not fully fledged as a vampire yet and I was concerned he would do something foolish; a concern which you can now see was not unfounded. And then I noticed how close you were with the girl, so I decided to use you to my advantage. As for why I turned you, call it a flight of whimsy. I cannot explain it in any better terms. I simply wanted you to be a vampire,  _ my _ draculina, and I am quite accustomed to getting what I want.”

“I’m so glad you thought to ask me what I wanted from any of this,” Nathalie retorted.

“You resisted, which is quite an anomaly,” Gabriel parried, “Most mortals aren’t strong enough to resist the bite’s power. You didn’t crumble until tonight, and that was only at my insistent prodding at your mental walls.”

“Then why couldn’t I remember the dreams?” Nathalie asked, “Why the headaches? Why the difficulties sleeping?”

“All part of the process and your resistance to it,” Gabriel answered, “Your will didn’t want to accept what was happening to your body, so it repressed our mental meetings by causing you to forget. The physical changes were slowed, but unavoidable, so there was some pain involved. And the trouble sleeping well, vampires sleep during the day and are awake all night. Obviously you’d find trouble sleeping when your internal clock was being forced to work with a mortal’s hours.”

“So… what am I now?” Nathalie asked.

“Hmm… that’s a good question,” Gabriel replied. He stepped forward and placed a hand against her chest, right where her heart was. He felt for a moment and then removed it, “It appears you aren’t done resisting yet,” he remarked, “You still have a pulse, one too slow for you to detect, but make no mistake about its presence. However, I’m not sure there would be a way for you to reverse the change at this stage. You’ve drunk blood, from now on it’s all your body will crave. Try to resist, and… well, you thought the headaches were bad? The convulsions and pain would likely spread throughout your entire body until it shut down and you either accepted your rebirth into un-life, or you died completely.”

“Oh…” she said quietly.

“Do you want to be more than you ever could have walking in the world of the light?” Gabriel asked, “Or do you wish to try and resist your destiny, and suffer through needless pain?”

“Give me one good reason why you think I, or anyone for that matter, would want to become a vampire.”

“Well, I cannot speak to the merit of other people, but-” Gabriel replied, “I can give you one good reason why you should embrace the night.”

“And what is that?” she quirked a brow at him, arms folded and displaying her assets in a lovely way. Not that she likely realized it, or her own appeal for that matter.

“This,” and in one fluid motion he wrapped an arm around her waist and hauled her close until they were pressed together, lips locked and moving against one another.

Any shock Nathalie might have felt quickly evaporated, and she finally had a name for the emotion of all those dream encounters. Desire, it had been desire. But it was nothing compared to the real thing before her now. Automatically her hands twined around his neck, and then, the moment she felt the column of flesh beneath her fingertips the urge hit her again. The urge to bite. But she was no longer hungry, this wasn’t about satiating a weakness left too long unassuaged. This was entirely about claim. But as she broke away to prepare for her pounce, he pushed her away. Not out of his grasp, but far enough to prevent her entirely predictable action.

“Not until you know how to feed for yourself,” he chided gently, wagging a finger in her face before delicately pressing it against her nose, “And, if you need more persuasion as to why this life is for you- Tell me; your will was strong enough to stall the changes within you. So why did you never remove the butterfly I gave you?”

“I…” Nathalie had no answer for that, “I don’t know.”

“What life does the mortal world hold for you, honestly?” Gabriel asked her, “You’re a governess, meek and mild-mannered. A perfect school marm. You have beauty but no fortune, and the only man you would attract would not be worthy of you.”

“And who do you think  _ is _ worthy of me?” Nathalie asked him, “Are you implying it’s you?”

“Would you like to find out?” Gabriel leered at her, fangs glinting in the moonlight, “I told you that first night, I only wanted what any man would want from a beautiful woman.”

“And here I thought you were just trying to flatter me,” she retorted.

“I am a king,” Gabriel said, “I am above all others. But you, you could surpass even me.”

“Why do you sound so happy about that?”

“There was, for a long time, only one other who ever held that distinction. And no, it wasn’t Adrien, though he likely will someday.”

Nathalie’s mind flew back to the woman in the portrait, “Will you tell me what happened?”

“One day,” he replied vaguely, “And that’s only if you decide to stay with me.”

“That’s not fair,” Nathalie protested, pouting as she once again folded her arms in that decidedly alluring way.

“Who said I play fair?” Gabriel asked in response, “If this whole experience should have taught you anything, it’s that I do not play fair, I play to win.”

“And what do you want to win this time?”

“What I’ve wanted from the very start.”

“And that is?”

“You,” he admitted, “Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“I don’t know,” Nathalie replied, “But I’m willing to be convinced. How late does it get?”

“The night is still young,” Gabriel responded.

“So, you have until dawn to convince me,” Nathalie reasoned, “Think you’re up to the challenge?”

“I am the King of the Vampires Nathalie,” Gabriel shot her a withering look, “There hasn’t been a challenge yet that’s proven insurmountable. But then, you’ve already proven yourself different from any other mortal I’ve ever known. I look forward to pleading my case.”

“I look forward to seeing how convincing you can be,” Nathalie replied, “Shall we retire to your home? I assume you already have some points you’ll think it beneficial to discuss.”

“Oh, I can think of some points alright,” Gabriel nearly growled at her, “But none of them have anything to do with talking. Come,” he hauled her into his arms and carried her off into the night.

The rumours of Grayling Manor continued to spread, this time as a host of ghosts came to haunt its halls. And many of them, missing daughters of the surrounding aristocrats, and their governess, who had warned them never to go inside.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment and let me know what you thought. I really appreciate your time in reading this. Thank you, and I'll see you all next time


End file.
